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“If you will wait”—her face flushed—“I will ... I will give you ...”
He knew instinctively what she was going to offer in return for asking no more questions. “Forty-two nights in my bed furs?”
“Or until you leave the city for good.”
“At which time you will tell me your secret?”
She nodded.
“This must be some secret you hold close, princess. You would give me your maidenhead to protect a child. A child you seem to think I might endanger.” He wondered now just who the father might be. Obviously someone of importance. He would find out, eventually. But he was not about to let her off the hook so easily. “You are twenty and nine years old, Drifa. How do I know your female parts are not withered up, like a raisin?”
Her face flamed, but she shot back, “You are thirty and one. How do I know your dangly part is not shriveled to a winter-soft carrot?”
He laughed. “My dangly part is just fine, I assure you, especially with that head drilling that was forced on me.”
“Would you prefer they left you for dead?”
“As you did?”
She rolled her eyes. “Do we have to discuss all that again? Will you accept my offer?”
“Agreed,” he said finally and turned to walk away. But then he stopped. “Come here.” He motioned her toward him with a forefinger.
He saw her warring with herself, wanting to tell him what to do with his finger. But then she gave in and walked up to where he stood waiting.
“Put your arms around my neck and seal our bargain with a kiss.”
She did so with an awkwardness that touched him, despite himself. At first he let her press her lips against his in a kiss that was more suited to a child.
“Have you forgotten everything I taught you?” He hauled her up against him, chest to chest, groin to groin, causing her to be on her tiptoes.
“It was five years ago.”
“Still arguing with me, sweetling. That is no way to persuade me to do your bidding.”
She said a foul word under her breath. “What do you want me to do?” They were so close he felt said breath on his mouth.
“Open for me.” He took over the kiss then, and it turned out Drifa hadn’t forgotten much at all. Soon they were both panting with excitement. He could tell she was astonished by her quick response to him. He was astonished, too, and pleased.
“Oh my gods,” she whispered, putting the fingertips of one hand to her lips.
He smiled. “Be in my chambers afore nightfall and do not plan to leave until dawn. Another thing. Do not bother to bathe afore coming to me. We will bathe together in my bathing pool.”
He could tell she was shocked at first, as he intended, but she quickly shuttered her expression with a cool look of disdain. “Good. Because you stink.”
Lifting an arm, he sniffed. No problem. Of course there wasn’t. He had washed and put on a clean uniform before coming to court. He realized two things then.
Drifa was gone.
And the witch had gotten the last word in.
Chapter Twelve
Let the lessons begin ...
Drifa had hours to prepare for her “meeting” that evening with Sidroc, but she waited until the last moment to tell Ivar her plans.
“I will be spending the night with Sidroc,” she said without preamble.
